China oil paintings

China oil paintings
``Newland! How can you ask such funny questions? When they go to the theatre in old ball-dresses and bare heads.''
``Well, perhaps they wear new ball-dresses at home; but at any rate Mrs. Carfry and Miss Harle won't. They'll wear caps like my mother's -- and shawls; very soft shawls.''
``Yes; but how will the other women be dressed?''
``Not as well as you, dear,'' he rejoined, wondering what had suddenly developed in her Janey's morbid interest in clothes.
She pushed back her chair with a sigh. ``That's dear of you, Newland; but it doesn't help me much.''
He had an inspiration. ``Why not wear your wedding-dress? That can't be wrong, can it?''
``Oh, dearest! If I only had it here! But it's gone to Paris to be made over for next winter, and Worth hasn't sent it back.''
``Oh, well -- '' said Archer, getting up. ``Look here -- the fog's lifting. If we made a dash for the National Gallery we might manage to catch a glimpse of the pictures.''
The Newland Archers were on their way home, after a three months' wedding-tour which May, in writing to her girl friends, vaguely summarised as ``blissful.''